Hay silo



R. G. FERRI S 2,020,881

HAY SILO 5 Sheets-Sheet l 22%? 222 E2: 2255 52% f 2%? w Nov. 12, 1935.

Filed March 29, 1935 Nov. 12, 1935. R. G. FERRIS a 0,

HAY SILO Filed March 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NOV.'12, 1935. R G, FERRIS 2,020,881

HAY SILO Filed March 29, 1955 3 SheefS-Sheet Patented Nov. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFICE HAY SILO Robert G. Ferris, Harvard, Ill., assignor to Starline, Inc., Harvard, 111., a. corporation of Illinois Application March 29,

3 Claims.

of; Fig. 6 is a top plan of the slab; Fig. '7 is a bottom plan of the slab; Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the radial plane of the line 9 of Fig. 5, but taken through portions of two Vertically adjacent slabs.

A known method of assembling ordinary silos includes the use of interlocking solid concrete slabs such as are. here shown at the bottom and top of Fig. 1. At the bottom of the structure, alternate tiers of slabs are started with full length slabs Iii and short slabs l I so that the successively higher slabs break joints in adjacent tiers. The tops of the tiers which start at the bottom with the short slabs ll terminate at the top in slabs l2 shorter than the former slabs so that all the tiers are of the same height. The method of constructing silos of such solid slabs is well known and apparatus for making the slabs and the necessary tie rods for holding them in position are generally available.

According to the present invention, I provide ventilated slabs interchangeable with the solid slabs referred to so that the entire silo has the necessary ventilation required for the safe storage of hay. To this end, I make slabs l3 of conventional outer contour and of standard length. These have on one edge a rib l4 and on the opposite edge, a groove l5 to interlock with the rib M of the next slab, and a projection IE to overhang the edge of the next slab. The slabs have lugs l1, [8 on one end and corresponding recesses I9, 20 on the opposite end. The projections l6 have horizontal notches 2|, 22 near bottom and top.

In assembling a silo in accordance with common practice, the short slabs I l at the bottom of alternate tiers of slabs cause the upper notches 22 on the slabs above them to fall in line with the lower notches 2| of the slabs in the next lateral tiers so that all the slabs may be and are firmly held in place by tie rods 23 encircling the silo at intervals and engaging the alined notches. Aside from the standard solid slabs used at the bottom and top, as illustrated, all the remaining slabs are pierced by large openings 24 so that the slabs are in reality open concrete frames. The outer surface of the slabs is slightly countersunk, as shown at 25, around the openings.

These openings 24 are closed on the outside by louver plates 26, the material of which is trans- 1935, Serial No. 13,717

versely out and pressed outward to form horizontal louvers 21 which allow free air circulation but prevent the direct entrance of rain. The louver plates 26 lie in the countersunk spaces 25. The openings 24 are covered on the inside by expanded metal sheets 28 so set that their webs slant downwardly and inwardly. These expanded metal sheets operate to exclude hay from the openings of the frame-like slabs where it might pack and impair ventilation.

The louver plates 26 and expanded metal sheets 28 are held in place by bolts 29 so that one or both may be removed should the space between them at any time need cleaning.

Centrally located within the silo is a reticulated ventilating flue 30 which may be built of wood slats, as shown. Above it in the roof of the silo is a conventional barn ventilator, the base only of which is illustrated.

The present structure is fitted for easy assembly in a conventional and almost universally available manner. It affords the required ventilation for the storage of hay and protects the hay from the entrance of such moisture as might injure it. In practice, silos of this type may be built as large as l4 feet in diameter without increasing the danger of fire from spontaneous overheating, the perforated outer wall and the ventilated central shaft affording ready opportunity for the escape of moisture from the hay.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A hay silo composed mainly of interlocking frame-like concrete slabs, each provided with an opening including a large part of the area of the slab, the openings through the slabs being covered on the outside by metal plates provided with horizontal louvers to allow ventilation and exclude rain.

2. A hay silo composed mainly of interlocking frame-like concrete slabs each provided with an opening including a large part of the area of the slab, the openings through the slabs being covered on the outside by metal plates provided with horizontal louvers to allow ventilation and exclude rain and being also covered on the inside by reticulated metal plates. 7

3. A hay silo composed mainly of concrete frame-like slabs each provided with an opening 

